AN ELECTION promise that a new railway station will be built at Southland for $13 million will not be honoured in the Baillieu government's first term.

Despite having waited more than 20 years for a new railway station at Southland, Melbourne looks set to wait a while longer yet.

A government spokeswoman this week signalled the deadline and the price tag for a new station at the vast Southland shopping centre had shifted, telling The Age: ''The commitment was for $13 million in the first term to start works on Southland Station.'' No date was given for when the station would be completed or at what overall cost.

Both the Coalition and Labor promised at the 2010 state election to build a railway station at Southland on the Frankston line, to service the vast shopping complex in Melbourne's south-east.

The Baillieu government spent $700,000 on planning for the station last financial year, but it has since put the project on hold, committing no funds in its last budget in May.

The spokeswoman said planning was still under way, ''which includes identifying the exact location of the station, station layout and access requirements, arrangements for connecting bus services and connections with local roads''.

Labor's transport spokeswoman, Fiona Richardson, said the Coalition's $13 million costing for Southland had always been regarded as ''a fantasy figure'' by Labor, which had costed the project at $45 million.

Both parties promised the station would feature two platforms, ramps and lifts for disabled access, bike cages and a two-way bus interchange.

Ms Richardson said the prospect of delays and cost blowouts would leave ''a particularly bitter taste in the mouths of commuters who perhaps shifted their vote on the understanding that services would be improved and that Southland station would be delivered''.

Labor made its $45 million promise, more than trebling the Coalition's cost estimate, after public transport had become an increasingly toxic issue for it, especially along the troubled Frankston line. Terry Mulder, the Liberals' then transport spokesman and now Public Transport Minister, mocked Labor's record of cost blowouts on transport projects, telling The Age at the time there would ''be a garage full of Porsches for construction industry bosses from this project alone''.

Five seats along the Frankston line swung to the Liberals at the last election, including the marginal seats of Bentleigh and Mordialloc near Southland.

Public Transport Users Association president Daniel Bowen said a station at Southland was ''a no-brainer'' and it was disappointing that the project was in limbo after promises to build it.

''There's horrendous traffic around there every weekend and the trains just whiz by without stopping because there's no station,'' he said.

The Andrews Labor Government’s new station at Southland will open just in time for the busy Christmas period.

Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll and Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos were today given a special tour of Southland Station, which will open to the public on Sunday, 26 November.

The new station on the Frankston line will directly connect more than 4,400 passengers to one of Melbourne’s largest shopping precincts for the first time.

It will make it easier for staff to get to work, and for people to get to Westfield Southland to shop, spend money and support jobs and local businesses. Currently, staff and visitors have to catch the bus or walk from Highett and Cheltenham stations.

Southland Station will also help to ease traffic and parking congestion at the shopping centre and in the local area by enabling people to leave their car at home.

More than 350 people have worked more than 61,000 hours during the 15-month construction of the new station, moving around 600 tonnes of earth.

Key design elements of the station have been shaped in consultation with the local community.

The Southland Station will be the 12th new station opened by the Labor Government, and is one of dozens of public transport projects underway right across Victoria including the Metro Tunnel, 50 level crossing removals and 65 new high-capacity trains.

These projects are creating thousands of local jobs through Local Jobs First – Victorian Industry Participation Policy, and opportunities for apprentices, trainees and cadets through the Major Projects Skills Guarantee.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Employment Ben Carroll

“This new station is creating jobs, and directly connecting thousands of workers to Southland for the first time.”

“Investing in communities and supporting local jobs – that’s what the Andrews Labor Government is doing every single day.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Bentleigh Nick Staikos

“This new station will make travelling to Southland easier for thousands of staff and shoppers every day.”

“We promised a new station and we’ve delivered – right on time for the busy Christmas period.”